System and Method for Providing Recovery for Victims of Check Fraud

ABSTRACT

A method for a consumer to protect against loss associated with specified forms of check fraud. Upon purchasing checks, a consumer can subscribe to a check fraud protection program, for an additional fee. The subscription will enable the consumer to obtain reimbursement from the check printer for the consumer&#39;s losses due to specified causes. The consumer reciprocally assigns any right of recovery from the consumer&#39;s bank or financial institution to the check printer, which can then seek reimbursement from the bank, or financial institution and institute proceedings against the fraud perpetrator. Protection may be obtained for forged signatures, forged endorsements and altered check. A symbol to indicate such protection is also disclosed.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/685,206, filed on Oct. 14, 2003, which is based upon and claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/418,936 entitled “System and Method for Providing Check Fraud Protection”, filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Oct. 15, 2002 by the inventors herein, the specifications of both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention disclosed herein relates generally to the recovery of losses associated with unauthorized use of negotiable instruments, and more particularly to a fraud protection system and method for enabling a consumer to recover losses due to forged signatures, forged endorsements, or altered information on personal checks.

2. Background of the Prior Art

Attempted check fraud at commercial banks is a growing problem. Check fraud can be one of the most damaging personal frauds. A victim of check fraud can suffer not only loss of all their financial holdings, but damage to their credit report as well.

Check fraud is generally perpetrated in one of several manners, such as:

-   -   FORGED SIGNATURES—legitimate blank checks with an imitation of         the payer signature;     -   FORGED ENDORSEMENTS—often involves the use of a stolen check,         which is then endorsed and cashed or deposited by someone other         than the payee;     -   COUNTERFEIT CHECKS—due to the advancement in color copying and         desktop publishing capabilities, this is the fastest-growing         source of fraudulent checks today;     -   ALTERED CHECKS—information on a legitimate check, such as payee         or check amount, changed to benefit the perpetrator; and     -   CHECK KITING—the process of depositing a check from one bank         account into a second bank account without the sufficient funds         to cover it.

According to a leading accounting firm, more than 500 million checks are forged annually, with losses totaling more than $10 billion.

According to the National Check Fraud Center, check fraud and counterfeiting are among the fastest-growing problems affecting the nation's financial system, producing estimated annual losses of $10 billion, and continues to rise annually at an alarming rate.

According to a report issued by the American Banker, an industry bankers' magazine, estimates of losses from check fraud will grow by 2.5% annually in the coming years.

Many processes and techniques have been developed to thwart the growing problem of check fraud. Special inks, microprinting, encryption of machine-readable code, and specially designed checkbooks to disclose loss of checks are some methods suggested to guard against check fraud. Even with the multitude of schemes to prevent incidents of check fraud, the continued growth indicates that most courses of action are ineffective in preventing such occurrence, such that consumers continue to lose significant funds through the ongoing check fraud ailment. Efforts must be directed to recovery of losses attributed to such check fraud.

Ordinarily, for a consumer to recover losses arising from victimization by check fraud, such consumer must generally investigate the fraud on their own, report such fraud to their bank or financial institution to seek reimbursement, and initiate criminal and/or civil proceedings as appropriate, if necessary. Such steps are generally unfamiliar to the average consumer, and the apprehension of such tasks can present a barrier to entry.

Accordingly, there has been found to remain a need for a simple method for a consumer victimized by check fraud to recover from losses associated with specific forms of check fraud, such as forged signatures, forged endorsements, and alterations to legitimate checks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to enable a process for recovering losses due to check fraud that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.

It is another object of the present invention to enable a method by which a consumer can recover losses due to specific modes of check fraud. A related object is to enable a method by which a consumer can recover losses directly from such consumer's check printer.

It is another object of the present invention to enable a method by which a consumer can recover losses due to check fraud in the nature of forged signatures. It is another object of the present invention to enable a method by which a consumer can recover losses due to check fraud in the nature of forged endorsements. It is yet another object of the present invention to enable a method by which a consumer can recover losses due to check fraud in the nature of altered instruments.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a claim form for reporting loss to the consumer's check printer.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of limited durable power of attorney by which a consumer can assign any claim arising from the check fraud to the check printer.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel method for recovering losses arising from specific modes of check fraud.

A specific object of the invention is the provision of a negotiable instrument wherein a designated symbol is imprinted on the instrument to indicate the protection for that instrument.

Another object of the invention is to enable a method in which, upon occurrence and reporting of a check fraud event involving a protected check, a new series of protected checks is issued to the authorized check writer.

In accordance with the above objects, a system and method for a consumer to protect against loss associated with specified forms of check fraud are provided. Upon purchasing checks, a consumer can, for an additional fee, subscribe to a check fraud protection program. The subscription will enable the consumer to obtain reimbursement from the check printer for the consumer's losses due to predetermined causes of check fraud. The consumer reciprocally assigns any right of recovery from the consumer's bank or financial institution to the check printer, which can then seek reimbursement from the bank, or financial institution and institute proceedings against the fraud perpetrator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention are considered in more detail, in relation to the following description of embodiments thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a check for describing features of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of an insert accompanying checks purchased under an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a claim form for use in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 4 a and 4 b is a durable power of attorney for use in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention summarized above may be better understood by referring to the following description, which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numbers are used for like parts. This description of an embodiment, set out below to enable one to practice an implementation of the invention, is not intended to limit the preferred, embodiment, but to serve as a particular example thereof. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the conception and specific embodiments disclosed as a basis for modifying or designing other methods and systems for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent assemblies do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.

FIG. 1 shows a view of the face of a prepared check, indicated generally as 10. On the face of the check are the following data items: the name and address of the account holder 13; the name of the payee 16; the issuing bank number with routing number 19; the checking account number 22; a check number 25; the check date 28; the check amount 31; the name of the issuing bank 34; and the signature of the payer 37.

Indication of some security features may also be seen on the face of the check 10. For example, it is common to use microprinting to create the signature line 40. Such microprinting appears as a dotted line when photocopied. The stylized MP symbol 43 indicates the presence of microprinting. The padlock symbol 46 is a certification mark indicating that the check 10 contains certain security features.

Pursuant to one feature of a preferred embodiment of the instant invention, additional indicia 50 is provided on the face of the check indicating that the particular check 10 is protected by a check fraud protection program as disclosed herein. As explained in greater detail below, while a series of checks 10 having consecutive check numbers is issued to an account holder, it is intended that all checks in such series according to the instant invention bear such indicia 50, and thus that the check fraud protection program disclosed herein applies check fraud protection to every one of the checks in such series.

In operation, the system of the present invention operates as follows:

-   -   a. A consumer orders a box of checks from a check printing         source and provides to the check printer the appropriate         information to be printed on the check, such as the name and         address of the account holder 13; the issuing bank number with         routing number 19; the name of the issuing bank 34 and checking         account number 22; and a beginning check number 25 for the box         of checks.     -   b. During the ordering process, the consumer is presented the         option of subscribing to a check fraud protection program for         all the checks in the box.     -   c. Upon election by the consumer to purchase such check fraud         protection, the check printer adds an indicia, such as 50 to         every check printed in the box. The check printer also records         the range of numbers of the checks in the box. Typically, a box         contains two hundred (200) checks in single format or one         hundred fifty (150) checks in duplicate format. The check         printer sends the box of printed checks to the consumer and         includes an insert, such as illustrated in FIG. 2, informing the         consumer that the checks in the box are included under the check         fraud protection plan.     -   d. Upon the occurrence of an identified check fraud event (as         described in greater detail below) against any of the checks in         the box, the consumer reports the occurrence to the check         printer using a reimbursement request form to obtain         reimbursement directly from the check printer. An exemplary         reimbursement request form is illustrated in FIG. 3. The         consumer also provides the check printer a power of attorney,         including an assignment of the right of recovery by the         consumer, to enable the check printer to pursue an appropriate         action against the responsible banking or financial institution.         An exemplary power of attorney form is illustrated in FIG. 4. In         addition to such reimbursement request form, a police report         and/or other proof of fraud is required.     -   e. Upon notification of such reimbursement request, the check         printer prints a new box of checks which, when properly executed         by the authorized account holder, will draw funds from a new         account that receives the account holder's funds after the         original, compromised account is closed.

Check fraud events for which reimbursement may be requested preferably include:

Forged Signatures: protection applies to legitimate blank checks that are forged with an authorized signature 37 (FIG. 1), as the payer, and that results in a debit to the checking account.

Forged Endorsements: protection applies to a legitimate check that is endorsed and cashed or deposited by someone other than the designated payee 16 (FIG. 1) based upon a fraudulent and false endorsement. Such protection, however, does not apply to a check that bears a legitimate original endorsement that is secondarily fraudulently endorsed.

Altered Checks: protection applies to legitimate checks that contain altered information such as payee identification 16, check amount 31, or other alteration to benefit the party altering the check.

Checks employed by the system and method of the invention described herein preferably only include those checks within the range of numbers purchased in the order at the time of the check fraud protection subscription. Such checks should be imprinted with indicia 50 indicating that the checks are, in fact, secured by the check fraud protection program disclosed herein. The check fraud protection program may only be purchased at the time the original checks are purchased. For accuracy, the check printer maintains a database record of all check numbers for which the check fraud protection program has been purchased. In order to be effective, the consumer must subscribe all the boxes of checks in a particular order. Protection expires once all checks in the box have been used or two years from the time of purchase, whichever is sooner.

The check fraud protection program described herein is not an insurance policy although a commercial insurance provider may insure the organization providing such fraud protection. The fraud protection program is designed to facilitate the consumer's recovery of losses arising from identified check fraud events, such that the consumer obtains benefits directly from the check printer by assigning any claims against the responsible banking/financial institution to the check printer. Accordingly, the consumer obtaining such fraud protection need not and should not seek any reimbursement from the responsible banking/financial institution.

The protection may be limited, such as to a maximum of $25,000.00 per box of checks, regardless of the number of checks for which reimbursement requests are presented and/or the number of requests made. Protection may apply only to personal checks purchased according to the program. Such protection does not apply to business checks, deposit tickets, and checks not included in a box of checks for which a subscription was purchased, even if such checks were also purchased from the same check printer. Furthermore, protection may be limited to only frauds committed in the country where the consumer is a resident.

Only designated losses are reimbursable pursuant to the check fraud protection program. The amount reimbursable includes all actual amounts paid from the consumer's account and all bank/financial institution/retailer fees arising from the fraud, not to exceed the limits of such check fraud protection program.

The invention has been described with references to a preferred embodiment. While specific values, relationships, materials and steps have been set forth for purposes of describing concepts of the invention, it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the basic concepts and operating principles of the invention as broadly described. It should be recognized that, in the light of the above teachings, those skilled in the art can modify those specifics without departing from the invention taught herein. Having now fully set forth the preferred embodiments and certain modifications of the concept underlying the present invention, various other embodiments as well as certain variations and modifications of the embodiments herein shown and described will obviously occur to those skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with such underlying concept. It is intended to include all such modifications, alternatives and other embodiments insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or equivalents thereof. It should be understood, therefore, that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically set forth herein. Consequently, the present embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer-implemented method, comprising: providing printed checks to consumers according to orders for printing checking account checks, the orders including an order for check fraud protection, and wherein a record of the checks having the check fraud protection is maintained in a database; providing a reimbursement to at least one consumer that is a victim of check fraud, for an amount of money fraudulently obtained from a checking account, based on a notification of an occurrence of check fraud against a check recorded in the database; and collecting the amount of money fraudulently obtained from the checking account based upon a limited power of attorney from the consumer authorizing the collection.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising printing checks according to the orders.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the check fraud is selected from the group consisting of: a legitimate blank check that is forged with an authorized signature; the counterfeit check; a legitimate check that is endorsed and presented by other than a designated payee based upon a fraudulent endorsement; and a legitimate check that is altered to benefit an altering party.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing printed checks further comprises printing indicia upon each check to signify a check fraud protection program.
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving documented proof of the check fraud.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the documented proof of the check fraud comprises a police report.
 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an assignment of a right of recovery by the consumer.
 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising printing a new series of checks for a new checking account that receives the consumer's funds after an original, compromised checking account is closed.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the consumer's checking account comprises a personal checking account.
 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from the consumer, an assignment of a right of recovery against a financial institution upon which the check is drawn.
 11. The method of claim 9, further comprising using the written limited power of attorney to pursue recovery from the financial institution for the check printer.
 12. A system for providing recovery for consumer victims of check fraud, the system comprising: a database; and one or more processors configured to: provide printed checks to consumers according to orders for printing checking account checks, the orders including an order for check fraud protection, and wherein a record of the checks having the check fraud protection is maintained in a database; provide a reimbursement to at least one consumer that is a victim of check fraud, for an amount of money fraudulently obtained from a checking account, based on a notification of an occurrence of check fraud against a check recorded in said database; and collect the amount of money fraudulently obtained from the checking account based upon a limited power of attorney from the consumer authorizing the collection.
 13. The system of claim 12, the system further configured to issue a reimbursement for the amount of money fraudulently obtained arising from the check fraud.
 14. The system of claim 12, the system further configured to print checks according to the orders.
 15. The system of claim 12, wherein the check fraud is selected from the group consisting of: a legitimate blank check that is forged with an authorized signature; a counterfeit check; a legitimate check that is endorsed and presented by other than a designated payee based upon a fraudulent endorsement; and a legitimate check that is altered to benefit an altering party.
 16. The system of claim 12, wherein the system is further configured to print indicia upon each check to signify a check fraud protection program.
 17. The system of claim 12, wherein the system is further configured to receive documented proof of the check fraud.
 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the documented proof of the check fraud comprises a police report.
 19. The system of claim 12, wherein the system is further configured to receive an assignment of a right of recovery by the consumer.
 20. The system of claim 12, the system further configured to print a new series of checks for a new checking account that receives the consumer's funds after an original, compromised checking account is closed.
 21. The system of claim 12, wherein the consumer's checking account comprises a personal checking account.
 22. The system of claim 12, the system further configured to receive, from the consumer, an assignment of a right of recovery against a financial institution upon which the check is drawn.
 23. The system of claim 22, the system further configured to use the written limited power of attorney to pursue recovery from the financial institution for the check printer. 